The ‘You can’t make this stuff up’ file

I have a cousin in town. We lead very different lives but his parents, my Aunt Jan and Uncle Sonny will stop by work when they are in town and ask after me.

Well they did so on the 4th.

One of my sicko coworkers told them that I had quit, sold every thing, joined a roller derby team and was out of state, on tour. They believed it, and freaked. Calling my Dad, my Dad calling my sister and sis being unable to get to me.

Fuck, I get home today to phone and emails wondering where the hell I am and what was I thinking. I busted out laughing when I talked to my sis. I mean it’s funny, but Aunt and Uncle are getting up there and Dad is not healthy. Guess I go in on a day off to talk to the Boss.

And I did want to get into roller derby when I was a teen. And there is a team in The Hood. The Rage City Roller Girls. But my knees, the will is there. But not the cartilage.

Shirley Hardman. I got to see her skate in San Diego about 1972. All of the females went that night, Gram, Mom, my sis and me. I remember two things best. One, my Grandmother got so into it she started pounding on the shoulders of the guy in front of her. And the five lap match race. Shirley wiped up the track with this referee. There was bad blood between the two. We had been watching the drama unfold on the tv for weeks. She waited for him at the finish line on the last lap. Oh yes, an early roller model for Ang.

So you see how my Aunt and Uncle would kinda not put it passed me to up and join a women’s roller derby team. Just another day in the life here in Spenard.